


The No Romance Rules

by amazingwatermelon



Category: Mafia - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Action, Angst, Drugs, Eventual Romance, Extortion, F/M, Fighting, Gang Violence, Guns, Kidnapping, Loan Sharks, Murder, Original Fiction, Prostitution, Romance, Slow Build, Violence, have patience, illegal, its worth it i promise, just make it through the first few chapters, mafia, mature - Freeform, mob, mob boss, ull love it, will probably make the rating explicit at some point maybe, wowie full of surprises, young adult
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-01-21 00:17:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12445161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amazingwatermelon/pseuds/amazingwatermelon
Summary: Wesley Dwyer was only in high school when his personal life suddenly collided with his father's dark past. He was forced to give up his friends and family as he was thrust into a world of crime and passion; in a society where the mob was never repressed as much as it was in the late 1900s.Today, it's a thriving business and allures many looking to make a fortune. Powerful groups struggle to come out on top and prostitution, drugs, and extortion circulate a chain of corrupted cities. The power no longer belongs to the people, it belongs to the criminal underground that has surfaced to dominate the nation as a whole.Enter Rin Hawthorne, a sweet girl from Oklahoma with a heart of gold. She may have had straight A's when she was getting her medical degree but none of that prepares her for the crazy road ahead.Somehow she manages to get herself tangled up in the mess that is NELO, one of the most powerful mob families in the country, and finds herself with a job offer. Turns out, it's one she can't refuse.





	1. To encounter a rat

On a normal day he would be having a coffee right now in the kitchen, but today he had a guest. Boyce had texted him, and by the surplus of exclamation points he knew it was important. He would usually send someone to come get him but today seemed to be different.

Wes' eyes were now focusing on his reflection in the mirror across the dimly lit master suite. His dark hair was less curly now than it had been a few years ago after he had it trimmed by an unskilled hairstylist. Freckles lightly dusted his tan complexion, barely visible on his chiseled features. He had always been told they make him look younger, something he would be thankful for in later years. The classic pinstripe suit pants he was wearing was an old favorite of his, always making his legs look long. Though any longer and he would be a giant. He wore a simple collared white shirt because after all, simplicity was the ultimate sophistication. He didn't bother throwing a blazer on or tucking in the rest of it because he usually saved that level of dress for clients and Declan.

And neither of those was here.

He strode over to his door and pushed it open to a much brighter hallway, shielding his eyes with his forearm as the door shut behind him,"What is it?"

Boyce looked him up and down, not even trying to conceal his judgy stare as he frowned. "Some woman is threatening to press charges and sue. She caught one of our men dealing and started to call the cops-"

"And why didn't you shoot her? You know, of all people, to never bring outsiders to the base of operations."

"I know Wes but we searched her and turns out she's a doctor."

He nearly lost his cool, digging his hand into his phone into his pocket to grab his phone,"Jesus Christ, you guys not only brought me some random woman, but a government worker of all people?!"

Boyce was beginning to look nervous now, glancing back out of the hallway into the living room,"Look, Wes, she works at a really small local clinic outside of the city- no one's even going to notice that she's gone. And you know how much we need someone with medical expertise."

Wes bit his lip hard, that last argument was slightly more convincing than the first. They really did need a doctor on their team, especially considering how much it was taxing their gang's reputation. What they were doing now, breaking into small locally owned hospitals and demanding treatment with a gun, wasn't going to fly for long. It was all fine and dandy until the numbers started to pile up. You see, people often paid gangs to keep their businesses safe and free from the more violent groups. And when you grow as an organization more people want to fight you for territory, hence more violent. It was just a sick chain of hierarchy in the end.

"All right. Lemme look at her."

Boyce led him out into the living room and into the spare bedroom, passing the two men stationed outside it. Boyce shut the door behind them and Wes found himself staring at the equivalent of a scared kitten. The woman was bound to a chair by ropes, a blindfold and piece of cloth stuck in her mouth to keep her quiet. Her frail looking dining chair contrasted drastically with the modern black sofa chair sitting several feet away from it. Which he guessed was for him.

His number two motioned to the chair and he easily went and plopped down in it, the sound of him settling in the chair alarming the woman. She drew her tied feet back and shifted with a slight whimper,

He let out a laugh,"What'd you do, whip her?" His sudden voice frightened her and she lurched backwards, almost falling back. Luckily Boyce lept forward and caught her, otherwise she'd have cracked her head open.

This only led to more chuckling until he sighed in an amused manner, waving his hand to Boyce,"Take the tape off."

His right hand did as he was told, not so gently ripping off the sticky plastic, causing her to squeal. A bright red mark stretched across her face, already fading fast.

As far as he could tell right now, she had a nice face and her plump lips were red and quivering with fear. She had tendrils of light brown hair falling across her face, many fly-aways sticking to the thin layer of sweat covering her cheeks.

"What did you think you would achieve by reporting some guy smugglin' some heroin? Fame? Maybe feel good for a few days that you put someone in jail?"

The brunette hesitated before shaking her head, swallowing before speaking,"I would achieve getting rid of some of the evil in this world, even if it would only be behind bars for a few years."

Wes laughed again, smacking his hand on his pants as he leaned forward in his chair,"I like this girl, she's funny. We might just keep her, Beatle."

Beatle was Boyce's name when they were dealing with outsiders or in a fight and didn't want to reveal their actual names. Many groups did research on higher-ups and often targeted them so fake names were important. But right now he wasn't solid on whether he was going to shoot her or keep her around. He was leaning towards 'keep' but her next few answers would determine her future.

"Who do you work for?" He asked, tongue flicking out to wet his lips. He would test her honesty now.

Her lips trembled a little but she steadily replied,"Sunny Side Clinic."

"Do you know where you are?"

"In a room... Probably a hotel room- since we took the elevator.."

She was pretty observant, if she even had the blind fold on the entire way here. However, confirming her assumptions wasn't what he was here to do.

"What about your family?"

This time she didn't respond, he could tell how reluctant she was by the way her teeth dug into her bottom lip, quieting herself. He started forward, dropping low and grabbing her chin to yank it forward,"Speak."

She let out a gasp, sucking in a shaky breath that alerted him she was holding in tears,"I just have a mom and little brother. They both live in Oklahoma.." He let go and stood up, finding this situation more and more ideal by the minute.

But she spoke once more, her voice threatening to break into a sob,"Please le-leave them out of this." After there was no response, she quietly whispered," _Please_."

He hadn't planned on doing anything to her family but now he definitely knew he had something to hold above her if she were to work for him. He was decided on what he was going to do now.

Wes started towards the door, he would text Boyce his decision,"And your name?"

"Rin.. Rin Hawthorne."

He then exited the room, shutting the door behind him and letting out a sigh. At least they had a doctor on hand now, well, they would after they somehow forced her into working with them. The subdivision he managed was much less violent than others so she would probably just be a fallback plan. He would figure out a different job for her, in any case. Pulling out his phone, he flipped through his messages 'till he reached Boyce's contact.

 

**me**

go ahead and recruit her

**beatle bug**

yesssss! you won't regret this wesssyyyy!

**me**

if we weren't texting rn, you'd be dead

**beatle bug**

:)

 

Little fucker. Considering Boyce was six years older than him, you'd think he'd be taller but he was actually pretty short. But he did tend to take that age gap as an excuse to call him whatever he liked. It wasn't like Wes minded too much but it was just fun to call Boyce names. Wes stood at 6'1" easy and Boyce was 5'8". Hence, little fucker.

Wes scanned the living room, looking over the many stacks of cash on the counters and the many pounds of heroin and cocaine left out on the coffee table. That was only a small portion of the supplies they had but considering how many runs his men were making a day, it wasn't bad. They were going to relocate soon, which was why they needed to get rid of as much as they could. The rest they would sell a bit overpriced at the casinos in Vegas.

That's right, they were heading to Las Vegas next, Boyce had already booked them a new penthouse and everything was set up there. That's where the main base of the mob was anyway, and you had to rejoin the mother organization every once in a while for a checkup.

Just like Boyce was Wes' right hand man, Wes was Declan's. Declan was the mob boss of one of the biggest organizations to run chains across the US, the Haines crime syndicate. Or, as it was known by the FBI, the 'No Eyed Lions Organization' or NELO for short. The nickname came from the lion with taped X's across it's face that they spray painted on everything. That meant their products, territory, and even on the aftermath of gang battles they had won. Like that, it became their trademark and they even tended to call themselves 'NELO' after a while. It was just shorter.

At this point, he decided to retire to his room, tired from a day of dealing with associates. There were two kinds; ones that wanted to buy their way in for profits and the fake ones trying to bust the syndicate from the inside. Rooting out the fakers was something he dealt with on a daily basis, and one of the many jobs he was tasked with. As an umbrella organization, he had to handle all the shit that Declan didn't want to do. When an organization became 'umbrella' it meant that it split of some of itself into smaller gangs and crews to operate across a wide range of cities or even states. Wes was in charge of one of these, but more precisely, the best one.

Wes pushed his oak door open, kicking off his oxford dress shoes and stripping himself of his dress shirt. Not long after he was throwing himself into the luxury covers of his bed. It had been a long day and now that they finally had a full team, his mind was at ease.


	2. To feel fear

Everything that was happening was beyond her comprehension. She was in a small town, not far from LA, when she glanced down an ally on the way to a medical necessities store. She spotted some suspicious man with a black duffel bag talking to someone. Despite her smaller frame and appearance, she was much bolder than she appeared and dropped low, creeping closer. She hid behind a trashcan, and from there her ears picked up talk of 'cocaine' and 'heroin'. It was odd that they were doing a drug deal so out in the open but it only made it easier on her. Digging through her bag for her phone, she tried to be as quiet as possible as she lifted it into her hands. She was about to hit call when suddenly a strong and brawny hand ripped the device out of her hands. 

The deal must've not worked out and that's why this guy had decided to come back down the alleyway. But that wasn't the issue now- now she was looking up at a massive man with tattoo sleeves running down both his arms and riding up on his neck. Adrenaline ran through her as she scrambled to get away, not caring if her jeans were messed up at this point, but he simply scooped her up from under her waist. She had once learned in high school that if you were ever taken without your permission you should start screaming.

So she did.

"Someone help!" She screamed, kicking out her legs and pounding her fists,"I'm being kidnapped- help!!" But it seemed her desperate measures were to no avail, the loud traffic completely blocked out her cries and she saw hope fade along with the light from the street. As he carried her deeper into the mess of alleyways, she attempted to escape, struggling in his grip.

"Let me go you bald shithead! I'll sue if you don't let me down, I swear!" When he didn't respond, she let out a loud cry, bringing her knee across his face.

She heard a grunt and then she felt the grip he had on her loosen- it was her chance to escape. She flung herself off his shoulder, landing hard on the ground and wincing as she felt the impact. She got up quickly, attempting to stumble away but the tough hands came back and she found herself being slung through the air and instead of being on the guy's shoulder, he held her at his side. _Was she really that light?_

She still attempted many more escapes but by the time they reached the backside of a dark van she knew there was little chance of getting out at this point. She fought, biting and screaming until he was helped by other men and she was thrown into the back of the car, doors slamming shut on her.

It was just her and darkness for the longest time as she huddled in the corner of the back of the van in an effort to not be slung around by the movements of the vehicle. When they arrived, or she assumed they did, they didn't open the doors right away. Instead she waited in dread for many minutes until they opened the doors and forced her into a blindfold and mouth gag before she could see any of the surroundings outside the car.

They carried her for the longest amount of time, sometimes switching her off between guys, and at one point they even entered an elevator. After they got off she was forced to walk, maneuvered through a large room and into a small one. They pushed her down into a chair and held her down as they tied rough ropes around her. At one point they replaced the gag with tape instead, presenting her with a spike of worry. She cried and screamed through the tape for a few minutes but gave up after realizing no one was going to hear her. She needed to take this time to figure out what she knew.

She knew that she was kidnapped, for starters. By who was the question- she already knew that they dealt with drugs and who knew what else. She assumed she was at a really nice hotel that had a lot of stories because it took a while for the elevator to reach the floor they were on. Not only that, they were definitely in some busy part of Las Angeles because the traffic noise from inside the car was loud and impatient- very much like LA. From the limited information she could figure out, she knew it was a bad situation. A _very_ bad situation.

The door to the room opened and could hear someone's footsteps come closer and closer before they stopped beside her. "Listen, miss, I know you're really mad about all this but the man that's about to come into the room doesn't have mercy. He won't hesitate to kill you if you give him the wrong answers and honestly, I really would like you to _stay_ alive so just- just _be good._ " She gave the tiniest of nods, because despite the fact that she was furious, now her survival senses were kicking in. If the man coming in was as scary as this guy was describing, she would watch herself.

She heard that person exit the room, a slight tug pulling at her heart. The only person that was trying to help her had just left, but she somehow knew he would be back. 

It was several minutes of waiting in dead silence before she heard voices coming from outside the room and then she heard the door open and close. Two sets of feet entered the room and one made a thud in front of her- probably sitting down. She shuffled a little bit, unintentionally letting out a noise as she moved, fear pricking at her.

For some reason, she felt like the person in front of her held such a scary presence. She could almost feel it, if her intuition wasn't already registering it. Compared to the helpful guy from earlier, this one was terrifying. 

Suddenly there was a loud laugh and the person spoke,"What'd you do to her, whip her?" His voice was the epitome of confidence, as if he had everything in the world in the palm of his hand. He had her in the palm of his hand.

He then asked for the tape to be taken off and then proceeded to ask her questions. She answered most of them as honestly as she could but when he asked about her family she paused. She didn't want to say anything. Would he kill her if she didn't say anything?

After several moments she heard the creak of a chair and the sound of fabric moving, steps striding towards her, and then calloused fingers grabbed her chin and pulled it to attention. This stirred a deep terror inside her, the image of a gun in this person's free hand was all she could imagine, and when he spoke she spilled.

After he got what he wanted she heard his footsteps retreating, but then they stopped short of opening the door. 

"And your name?"

She exhaled a shaky breath,"Rin Hawthorne."

The door opened and shut, leaving her in a room that was dead silent.

After a minute or two, a _ding_ went off in the room and she realized she wasn't alone. _Is the man he called Beatle still here?_

Her question was answered a few seconds later when she heard a voice break out in excitement,"Miss Rin, guess what? You're going to live!"

She let out a breath of relief, hearing him was her one and only comfort right now,"So I can go home?"

There was a pause of silence before he responded,"Well, not exactly. I said you were going to live. For right now we've decided to take you into our rankings."

"Who is 'we'?"

"I'm not sure if that's my place to say but rest assured that you're safe. You'll get your belongings back shortly after they are checked for bugs of sorts."

She wasn't sure if she liked the sound of that,"So when exactly do I get to go home?"

There was silence,"When boss sees fit, I guess."

"Oh." So that meant she had to convince the man that had just left the room that she should be able to leave? _Great_.

"How about we get you out of that blindfold and ropes, okay?"

She nodded, letting him carefully pull the piece of cloth off from her head, brightness flooding in all at once. It took her several moment to adjust, and while Beatle pulled the ropes free she scanned her surroundings with curious squinted eyes. She had to figure out a way to escape. Maybe not tonight but tomorrow- the safest option seemed to do what Beatle said and that was alright with her.

Even if he was one of them.

"Thank you." As the ropes slackened, she stood up and took a few steps forward, shocked at how large the room was. She turned around to look at Beatle, even more shocked with what she saw. He was about an inch taller than her and was of a lean build, with short buzzed dark hair and a single earring on his left ear. He looked a lot more intimidating than he actually was, like a thug almost- but she knew otherwise. She moved forward and wrapped her arms around him in a hug,"Thank you so much."

If he hadn't told her that her answers mattered so much, she probably would have lied and would be dead right now. She owed him her life. He let out a laugh, hugging her back with a few pats before she let go and turned away to go and explore her interesting room. All the furniture was expensive, as far as she could tell, and even a scratch on anything would most likely cost her much more than she had. She excitedly went and began to look through the dresser at the far side of the room, beginning to sort through it to see what she could find.

"So, this is your room- you'll be staying here for the next few days. Along with that, expect to get up early tomorrow morning because your training starts tomorrow."

"Wait, what? Training?" She whirled around from looking through the dresser to look at him in confusion,"Why would I be training?"

"You know what? I'm just going to give it to you straight right now.." Beatle took a deep breath before meeting her gaze with a frown,"You're not going home, kid. Your staying here as a doctor to help out with any wounds that our men take while out in the field and you need to know how to protect yourself should anything happen."

Now things were starting to come together. The whole reason they captured her, why she was here, and what they planned to make her do,"So you kidnapped me because I have a medical license and now I'm going to be forced to take care of.. your men?" 

He shook his head,"At first you were only nabbed 'cause you were gonna call the police. Then they were going to take you out but one of them found your clinic ID in your bag and thought you'd be of some use."

A horror filled her at his words,"Take me out? Does that mean- Does that mean they were going to kill me? _Just like that?_ "

Beatle looked like he didn't want to answer but reluctantly nodded,"That's how this business works, we can't afford to have someone rat us out to the cops."

_What on earth kind of business kills people?_

And it hit her. Why didn't she realize it before? She was with mobsters right now- wasn't she?

She plopped down onto the bed behind her, eyes downcast as she realized her situation. This wasn't a prank someone was pulling on her. It wasn't April Fools and nobody was playing any jokes. This was real life. She was being held in a criminal organization.

"Listen, Miss Rin, I'm gonna leave you alone in here, alright? The door will lock and you won't be able to leave so if you need something you need to knock and let the guys outside know." He seemed to have gotten the cue to leave as the shock was setting in and he quickly exited the room, closing the door behind him.

She flopped down on the bed so she was looking at the ceiling, tears welling in her eyes. _What if this was all a dream?_ Maybe it wasn't a prank but it could be a dream. There was no way that, out of all the doctors they could have taken off the street, _she_ was the one. She rolled over, giving an emotionless laugh- yeah, there was no way. _This is like some cruel romance novel where a girl is kidnapped and then falls in love with the guy who kidnapped her.._ Except her captor had yet to show his face and she would never fall in love with someone that would just kill someone so easily. Or so she hears.

Rin pulled herself over to the head of the bed so that she could lift the covers and slide under them, bitter thoughts trailing through her head. Even if this was a dream, she needed her sleep. Especially if she was going to wake up from it once she fell asleep. With the sound of the fan humming above her head and the warmth covering her from the blankets surrounding her, she was lulled to sleep. It seemed even mobsters had a good taste in comfortable beds.


	3. To wake up in reality

When she woke, her lashes fluttered open to reveal to her an unfamiliar setting. This wasn't her room. Seconds later, she jolted in her bed, flinging the covers off and glaring around the room with a certain animosity. She was still here. In the mobster's lair.

Letting out a deep sigh, she ran heavy hands through her hair, trying to calm herself down. She had thought it would just be a dream but it seemed sleep was only good for one thing: escaping reality. Rin got out of bed, mind and heart equally weighing down on her right now as she opened the door to the bathroom. Gazing into the bathroom mirror, she almost laughed at her appearance. She looked like a witch with her hair a mess and clothes pulled this way and that.

She dug through the cabinets and drawers till she found a brush, raking it through her hair until it look presentable and then tying it back into a ponytail. Apparently they were training today and she would need her hair out of the way for it. _Question is, what kind of training?_ She worked out several days a week and was fit, but somehow she felt that it was going to be a step up from her usual workout.

There was a knock at the door came out to find workout clothes laid out on the bed for her. The only thing nice about this situation was the free clothes, so far.

She changed, after she searched the room for cameras, and knocked against the door as she was told. It opened and she was greeted by the faces of two gnarly-looking guys in suits. They led her silently through a lavish living room and out into a small hallway outside the penthouse apartment that she had been in. They opened glass doors, exposing a modern and open gym. 

Rin guessed it was private, there was no one else in here except her and some man off in the corner. That man turned around and his eyes lit up when he saw her, striding over to greet her,"Hey Miss Rin, long time no see! Today we're going to start your training so let's get started with a warm-up."

An hour and a half later, sweat pouring off her back and running down her forehead, Beatle finally adjourned the session,"Alright, that's enough for today." She let out a loud exasperated sigh before plopping down on the ground, catching the water he threw to her and enjoying the cool feeling in her hot hands. Popping open the cap, she drank it, happy to finally not be moving.

"So you have about an hour and a half to get ready, you're going to meet the boss after he finishes his conference call- I suggest looking nice."

She wiped her mouth, a frown on her plush lips,"Nice? Like how nice? And why do I have to meet him?"

Beatle let out a laugh, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world,"Okay- for starters, he _wants_ to meet you and when boss says he _wants_ something he _gets_ it. Secondly, try something semi-formal, like with a nice shirt or something." Beatle obviously didn't know anything about clothing so she would go ahead take the wheel on that, but the first part made her guffaw. Was this guy a _child_ or something? Would he whine if he didn't get what he wanted?

"Alright. If you say so.." 

She was escorted back to her room where she took a shower in the bathroom. Once she got out, she dried off, momentarily admiring herself in the mirror- she did have to say, she had quite the nice bod. It was due to working out so often, leaving her stomach flat, legs trim, and waist small. That was only one of the benefits that came with going to the gym a few times a week.

Rin stood in her room, clad in a towel, as she pondered over what to wear. She could go semi-formal yet dressy but what would be the fun in that? So instead, she opted for a orange fall sweater and a denim skirt paired with nude sandals tied around her ankles. From the few pieces of jewelry she could find she draped a long thin gold necklace around her neck, letting it hang loosely. She went to the mirror and brought a lip tint from her bag that was a cherry color and applied it until she was satisfied. Luckily, they had given her bag back after deeming it acceptable but she had still hadn't received her phone. 

 There was a knock on the door outside, signaling that her time was up and she quickly tied her hair up into a bun, messing it up a little before exiting the bathroom. When Beatle poked his head in to see her coming towards him, he brought a distressed hand to run over his buzzed hair. She gave him a smile, keeping herself from laughing at his distraught expression as he turned to lead her across the open living room. She had yet to sit on any of the plush couches but they looked comfortable and she made a mental note to do so. 

Her eyes lingered at the oak door to her left, feeling slightly disappointed as they passed it. She really wanted to see what was in that room, but it seemed they were heading to the next room over. As Beatle opened the door, he stepped in and shut the door behind her and two men. She looked from Beatle to the man behind a desk, taking in her first impression.

He was turned away from her in his chair, staring out the window, and her gaze was drawn to his broad shoulders that led to his sharp jawline and neatly trimmed haircut. Little curls rebounded off the rest of his short wavy hair that was parted towards right. That was all she could see but so far her heart was pitter pattering a little too fast.

Then he turned and her breath caught in her chest.

He was striking. His dark brown eyes looked her up and down, dark brows furrowed and high cheekbones casting shadows down on the skin below them. His tan complexion only added to her quickening heartbeat, and she almost missed the array of freckles scattered across his nose and lightly powdering his cheeks. She didn't snap out of her daze until she heard him speak,"Hello, Mrs. Hawthorne. This is the second time we've met, as you know."

Rin nodded, chewing on her cherry bottom lip in thought. So this definitely was the man that had questioned her when she was in the chair. He seemed a lot more civil now, and a lot less scary than before yet he still held the same, if not more, presence from before. She was really beginning to rethink her decision of escape- what if she was provided for and was paid? It would basically be the same thing as the clinic just with more guns, drugs, and dirty money.

"We're currently in need in of a physician.." He paused, tapping his many rings against the hard oak of the desk,"Which you happen to be." He leaned back in his chair, rolling his head around as if to crack it before bringing his intense gaze back to meet hers,"You know what that means- don't you?"

She almost nodded in agreement, but stopped herself just to think for a moment. Was she seriously considering this? Just because he was somewhat majorly hot? She swallowed the nerves rising in her heart,"I have a few conditions."

Beatle looked up from his daze of staring into nothingness and gave her a sudden look of bewilderment. He subtly shook his head 'no' as if to tell her that was the wrong route to pursue, but she thought otherwise. The only way she would be throwing her life into this dangerous lifestyle would be under these conditions.

Contrary to her and Beatle's predictions, the man behind the desk let out a loud laugh, a grin playing on his lips as he rocked back in his chair with a childish amusement,"Aight, city girl, tell me your conditions."

Rin kept herself from cracking with any sort of emotion, especially so because he had such an addictive smile. This was a serious matter at hand and she felt that it was important she remained stoic. "Well, first, I would like to be protected and provided for. That means shelter, food, water, and hospitality. Secondly, I want a guarantee that I will not just be killed as soon as I become irrelevant at any point. Thirdly, I want to be paid. If I wasn't here being forced to work for you, I'd be working at a clinic right now earning an income for myself." She finished, eyes nervously flitting between the two men in front of her. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the room. Beatle's jaw hung open at the absurdity of her demands, his eyes bug-eyed in shock.

"I'll admit it, you've got some guts. Not many people come into _my_ office and tell me what _they_ want." He paused, rolling forward in his chair and leaning forward on his arms,"But that doesn't mean you get everything you want just because you did. I'll let you have your hospitality and protection bullshit, but you're in my turf now and I decide the rules. That means I determine if you live or die, not you.  Lastly, you'll get paid- but not just for being a physician. You'll only be needed occasionally as a doctor, the rest of the time you will spend as my assistant. _That's_ the only way you'll get paid. And if you don't like it- tough."

 Rin bit her lip, realizing now that she definitely pushed it. She narrowed her eyes when he said he 'determined if she lived or not' but held her tongue, she was already veering dangerously close to no man's land. She would be paid- but she would work as a doctor and as an assistant? She hadn't heard 'assistant' on the initial list of needed jobs, only doctor. Was this something he added? 

"Alright- I'll do it." If these were the best terms she was going to get, she was alright with that. As long as they didn't shoot her.

He nodded, no sign of amusement on his face anymore as he stood up,"Smart." He then motioned to Beatle with an open hand,"I'm sure you two have already met. You probably know him as Beatle but now that you're in, you get to meet each other once more. Rin, meet Boyce. Boyce, meet Rin."

Rin gave a small smile, having just assumed Beatle was his actual name, though that would have been rather cruel on his mother's part. She moved forward and shook hands with the now Boyce. He flashed her an equally polite smile, though she could tell he was restraining himself from completely lecturing her to the ends of the earth.

"Boyce, give her everything she needs for both jobs. Meet me in the suite when your done." And with that, he strode past them both, only leaving a faint trace of cologne in his wake. The door shut and Boyce let loose-

"I can't even believe your nerve! You demanded.. demanded from one of the most _powerful_ men in the _country_ , that you wanted a fucking _paycheck_? How-" His voice was taut with bewilderment and anger,"How can you be that _stupid_? I don't care if you have a _PhD_ , that was pure stupidity- do you realize that?"

She ducked her head as he ranted, only glancing up towards the end to meet his furious expression,"Yeah." 

He let out a heavy sigh of exasperation, slapping his hand against his head,"And all she says is ' _yeah_ '. _Okay_. Well- just go back to your room. I'll have what you need to you in a few minutes."

And with that, she excused herself as quickly as possible, shuffling out. She felt like a scolded puppy, fleeing with her tail tucked between her legs but for right now she knew it was the best decision. The two men that had been silent in the room the whole time followed her out, keeping an eye on her to make sure she went back to the right place, which she did.

She plopped down on her bed, glancing up to look at the clock. It read 1:15PM. It was only that far in the day? It felt like the day had gone on so much longer than only a few hours.

After several minutes, Boyce came in with several gadgets in a small box, setting them down beside her. He introduced them to her separately, first pulling out a blocky black device,"This is a pager, it's one-way. It's been modified so that it connects to the boss' cellphone and to each of the captain's phones so that they can page you when someone is injured. It'll blink green for boss, red for injuries. Green means you need to go attend to boss and whatever he needs, red means you need to go to the base level of this hotel and to the infirmary we had installed in the back."

"You guys had an infirmary built onto this hotel?"

"Well, we own the place so of course we did. We also have one up here but most of the time it's too dangerous to transport someone up here because by that time they'll have probably bled out. When you need to get down fast there in a single person elevator that'll drop you down a lot faster than the regular one, it's only for when there's emergencies."

 _They own the entire hotel? They must be loaded.._ "Okay.. got it."

He then brought out a phone, one of the newest models, and handed it to her. "You can only call the numbers on there and trying to dial anything else will automatically drop the call. My number and boss' number is on there- those should be the only ones you need. That phone is for communication if the pager isn't enough. Lastly, all the medical supplies you should need are stocked in both infirmaries so you shouldn't need to worry about any of that. Any questions?"

She shook her head, clutching both the pager and phone in her hands. The phone buzzed and she looked down at it, a message lighting up the screen. It was from the boss.

 

**Boss**

Get dressed in something else, we're going to go meet some associates. Try something with very boring colors this time, we leave in 10 minutes.

 

**me**

will do boss.

 

Oh, boy, her first time outside this hotel in a day or two. She nervously waited for a reply, but ended up wasting time looking at her phone. "Don't try and wait for him to respond, once he gets the point across he doesn't reply back." Her cheeks flushed at Boyce's words, embarrassed at the fact that he had noticed her waiting for a response. 

"Well, my job's done so I'm gonna leave you to your own devices."

She nodded, already heading to her dresser before he even closed the door behind himself. She was going to have to find something to wear in 10 minutes and still look presentable for a mob boss and his clients. Oh boy.


	4. To meet again

After he sent her the text he was sure that she would be freaking out. He doubted that she would be able to get dressed in under 10 minutes but he was also on short notice- when associates called, you answered. If it was anything that would benefit the business then it was a step he had to take.

Once he had adjourned the meeting, he had met with Boyce who reported her to be adjusting to the situation. He knew it would be quite the distressing situation but for her to be so accepting of it all was strange. He got up from his bed and began to sort through his closet, finally deciding on a fitted charcoal gray pinstripe suit and black oxfords that were in total worth a low priced car. He got dressed and was more appreciative than ever for the tailored piece of clothing that made him look so damn good when he looked in the mirror. It was a custom piece that he had gotten for a hefty price but he had wanted to treat himself for the first time in a while and this was the reaping.

Wes heard a knock at the door and glanced one more time at the reflective surface before heading to the door. He pushed it open and to be met by Boyce who fell into step beside him as he headed for the penthouse elevator. "The car is prepared downstairs. I'll be here to keep an eye on the girl."

He turned to look at Boyce as he pressed the button to wait for the machine to come back up,"Actually she'll be accompanying me."

Boyce's expression was one of confusion,"Isn't that a little risky considering she's only been here for a day and a half? What if she tries to escape?"

"She needs to start getting job experience as soon as possible and she'll be right next to me at all times so there's no need to worry."

"How many men are you taking with you?"

He paused, already sensing the incoming lecture,"Two."

"Wes. You know that's not safe- there are so many hits out on you right now it's ridiculous."

The elevator dinged and Wes stepped inside, pressing for the lobby,"It _hasn't_ been safe and _never_ will be. Stop worrying, you're acting like a damn hen, y'know that?"

"Wes-"

"I'll be fine." He gave the shorter man a reassuring punch in the shoulder right before the metal doors came to shut against each other, leaving him alone in the elevator.

This left him alone to his own devices. He finally had alone time to figure out what he was going to do with Rin. She was his assistant for right now, which he had a feeling would clash with her being a doctor when they made their move on Jimmy's gang in Las Vegas. Declan hadn't sent him the details but a reunion was just a cover for their true intentions- a gang war. Rin would probably be spending a lot of time in an infirmary tending to the wounded and he knew that when the time came he'd have to let her be. Wes could already tell that Boyce was getting tense as the time neared to leave, and when Boyce got tense he tended to pester and badger  _anyone_  and  _everyone_. That was one thing about Boyce, he could be fun and hilarious one minute but the next he was a crazy old woman who got onto everyone. He just hoped Rin was more calm, especially since she was going to be going into a building full of bleeding men filled with bullet wounds and possibly worse. But that would be in the several days to come, for today he needed to adjust her to keeping her cool under pressure.

Truthfully, today wasn't really about making money, it was about Rin focusing on her the task at hand. He would take her to a set-up meeting and see how much she could handle. The man they were going to meet was one of his old friends and Wes was sure that if Rin could handle what was up ahead she could deal with almost any situation.

The elevator reached the bottom floor and he stepped out, his shoes clicking on the expensive tile as he headed for the back exit. When he pushed open the heavy door he found a black Audi R8 waiting outside, one of the newer and nicer models. Never once had he bought a car that wasn't black, grey, or white, everything else was just too standout to him. He strode towards the back door, one of his men getting out to open it for him to get in. He ducked under the roof and into the vehicle, settling himself into the comfortable matte seat. Now to wait.

 

* * *

 

Rin, on the other hand, was not at ease. She had 10 minutes to get ready and she was beginning to reach the five-minute mark. She whisked a pair of black slacks and a white blouse from her stash of clothing. She paired it with black heels and some simple white earrings, tying her hair back into a low ponytail as she rushed out the door. When she got to the elevator she practically smashed the button and was briefly tempted to take the quicker of the two that was only for emergencies but she wasn't a rule breaker at heart and ended up waiting. By the time she got down to the lobby, she realized she had no idea where to go. Was the car parked out front?  _No.. It wouldn't be because it's a gang so... It has to be out back!_

She hurried as fast as she could in her heels, pushing open a hefty metal door and spotting a black car outside. Was that..  _her_  ride? The price tag probably numbered in the thousands, just by the look of it's polished coat and crisp design. Nevertheless, she rushed over to the other side of the car and let herself in. Sitting down with a great huff, her boss turned to look at her with a frown, tapping his watch,"5 minutes late." 

"No way- I ran."

"It's true, I timed it."

She crossed her arms and exhaled an annoyed breath. She had been sure that she had made it on time, but maybe her perception was off?  _No_ , even if she thought about it, it wasn't possible.

"You look like you're thinking really hard over there."

She nodded, glaring at the seat in front of her in an effort to remember how long the elevator ride down was added onto how long it took for her to sprint. However a loud laugh broke her concentration and she looked at him in confusion, unsure what was so funny.

"Why- you're so mad! I was just joking with ya, sweets. You were here right on the dot." The car started and the engine revved just as it reached her through her thick skull. He had played her! "Y- you tricked me?"

"Oh yeah, I fooled you real good. You should've seen your face."

"I didn't really see this coming, that's why. You give off a scary mob boss vibe so it's practically impossible to speak easily with you- therefore, if you were less intimidating I would have been able to tell."

"Wow, those are some really unique deduction skills you have.."

"Well, what else could be the reason?"

"Maybe I just have great acting skills?"

"Oh yeah? Well, I have great cooking skills."

"Can you balance a spoon on your nose?"

"Easy."

"Okay, how about firing a pistol from a moving car and hitting your target nine times out of ten?"

"Well, no. But I can remove a bullet from a fractured rib bone, can you say the same?"

"I once pulled a bullet out of my own shoulder."

"With no painkillers?"

"Nope."

"With your hands?"

"Well, fingers- it wasn't that deep."

"Rough," She leaned against the door, eyeing him as he looked at her. She was curious about one thing and he seemed to be in a chatty mood of sorts. He actually seemed like a decent person, at least while they were in this car. "I think calling you Boss is awkward and I'm pretty sure all your men call you something else but I can't ever seem to catch it."

He flashed her a look, dark brown eyes looking at her quizzically,"I'm not sure we've reached that level in our employer-employee relationship yet."

"Okay well, what do you call me?"

"Miss Hawthorne."

"Wrong. You called me sweets, which is informal, so that means just calling me by my regular name shouldn't be a problem."

He sighed, seeming to give in,"Alright,  _Rin_. How's that?"

She gave him a cheery smile, presenting a thumbs up,"Great, now you tell me your name."

"You realize telling you my name will only get you deeper stuck in this organization, right?"

"I'm sure that one of your men will slip up sooner or later and I'll hear it anyway so why not now?

"That's another thing- why are you so calm? You've been taken into a mob that is filthy with crime and you are somehow not sobbing in your room right now?"

"Ah ah ah, don't switch the subject. You first."

There was an annoyed groan and an exasperated sigh before he spoke,"My name is Wesley. Wesley Dwyer."

Rin narrowed her eyes at him, not sure whether to trust him.

"Oh _come on_ , you seriously think I'm lying after you just bugged me for a straight two minutes?"

"When your men call you it doesn't sound like Wesley."

"That's because they just call me Wes."

She let out a low 'oohh' and gave a small nod as a small smile spread across her face. "Well, nice to meet you Wes, my name is Rin." She stretched out her hand to him with an expecting look.

His face expressed that he thought this was absolutely ridiculous but played along anyway, reluctantly shaking her hand,"Nice to meet you too, Rin."


	5. To realize danger

After they had shaken hands and 'met again', the car came to a stop in front of a prodigious ink black gate. The driver up front presented a small paper of some sorts to a screen and that seemed to do the trick because they were buzzed in seconds later. She pressed her face and hands up against the glass, peering outside in wonder.

This place was like something out of a fantasy. The green yard was prim and proper, bushes trimmed, and flowers planted everywhere. The flowerbeds lined the bases of the fountains, which sprayed up and out in whimsical showers of water. Sculpted trees lined the long driveway and they pulled into the circular parking area, both men up front getting out to help both her and Wes out of the car. Her ebony heels clicked against the tawny stamped concrete driveway as she got out, glancing towards the house. It was absolutely huge and, as every rich person owned, there were elegant columns supporting the beautiful framework of the mansion. Not only was the lawn perfect but the house was a something else in itself. Rin felt small looking up at the massive residence and chewed on her bottom lip, nerves beginning to get to her.

It seemed Wes had brilliant timing and she felt someone pull her arm, realizing seconds later he had interlocked arms with her. He gave her a small nod,"Stay close to me and you'll be fine." She let out a low breath, trying to release the tightening feeling in her chest. It seemed like it was all getting to her. She felt him tug her forward slightly,"Come on, let's go."

They made their way inside, Wes' men sandwiching them as a stoic butler led them through the grand front door and down a long dark hallway. They went up a dark oak staircase that opened up to yet another long hallway but this one was lined with expensive paintings. The butler stopped in front of the first set of doors before turning to the group following him,"The master is in here," He gestured at the door,"I'll have to ask you to forgo your weapons."

The man went to each of the bodyguards, who dropped their pistols into a fancy leather bag and then to Wes. Wes went and tugged his gun out from his waistband, catching Rin's eye with the slight exposure of his taut stomach. She shook her head, silently scolding herself. He was her boss, even if he was a hot boss, and she needed to withhold herself. He then bent down, lifting his pant leg and shoving down his sock to reveal a knife, which he went and dropped in the bag.

"Is that everything?" The butler questioned, suspicious eyes on Rin. Wes nodded, slightly tugging Rin to stand behind him,"She doesn't have anything on her."

Despite how distrustful the apathetic man looked, he reluctantly stepped aside and motioned at the door before turning to leave.

Almost immediately after the butler was out of ear reach, Wes turned to her with serious eyes. "When we get in there, I want you to drop your phone."

" _What?_ "

"Once we sit down, you need to drop it. Not right away, wait for like a minute or two and make it look realistic or something."

"Can you give me a rhyme to the reason here or are we gonna play 20 questions in this creepy hallway?"

"Hold on- then you'll look under the table to where he's sitting and-"

"- _Ew_."

"What?"

"What're you trying to make me look at?"

He rolled his eyes in exasperation, almost facepalming himself,"You're just checking if he has a firearm under the table."

"A _firearm?_ " Her eyes grew wide,"You mean a _gun_ kind of firearm?"

"Yes, a _gun_ kind of firearm. It's usually held in a strap that's installed under the table next to his hand. His right side."

"Okay, first, why does _he_ get to have a gun and second, how do you know it's his right side?"

"Well, we're just checking if he has one- some people don't like to play nice." He paused as if to think for a moment,"And we've done business before so I know which hand he shoots with."

She let out a quiet but shaky breath. She could do this. She was only checking for a gun. She looked at Wes, who was gazing back at her for some sign of acknowledgment. _Does he do this all the time? How is he so calm?_

Rin cleared her throat, nodding,"How do I tell you if he does have a gun?"

"Set your phone down on the table face down. Face up if there isn't one." Wes turned to receive a briefcase from the bodyguard to his left, glancing back to her,"You ready?"

"What if something goes wrong?"

"It won't." He gestured to their two men and they pushed open the dark doors, opening them all to a large room. A projector screen was brought down on the far side of the room opposite to them. A round man sat at the end of the long table in front of it, standing up as they entered,"Welcome, welcome." He smiled, coming to greet them with a heavy puff of breath as he sauntered over. Wes received several hefty pats on the back, the large man bellowing with a loud airy laugh at Wes' tight smile. The man seemed to be amused at his discomfort, which almost made Rin laugh too.

Rin and Wes were sat next to each other at the head of the table closest to the door. The man waddle-walked back to his seat across the lengthy table and plopped his plump body down in the chair. With lavish rugs under their feet, lush drapes framing the windows, and sultry velvet cushions under them, it was a _bit_ overwhelming. Everything in the room felt so expensive she was even careful when she sat down- _heck_ , the room even _smelled_ expensive.

The table was so long it probably stretched farther than 15 feet. That's how far they were from the man across the room. She didn't know the reason behind it but assumed it was either a tactical thing or some kind of design element. She snapped back out of her thoughts when she heard a loud laugh and the two begin to speak.

"Well, Wesley, you've brought a fine young lady with you this time."

"She's my assistant."

"Why don't you introduce her?"

"I think that's a little off topic, don't you?" Wes smoothly replied, bringing his suitcase up and onto the table with a loud _thud_ ,"We came to discuss business, isn't that right, Mr. Lucero?" 

Rin let out a little breath of relief as Wes diverted the conversation from her and the man laughed in response before they began to delve into a whole conversation she didn't understand half of. She began to fiddle with her phone, partly as a stress reliever and partly because it was what Wes told her to do. A minute passed and she knew she was nearing her deadline and with a pounding heart she took a quick breath.

It was time. Rin began to play with the screen, acting as if she was busy, then when she was barely supporting the top of the phone, she tapped it _hard_. The device went flipping forward and plummeted to the ground with a _thud_ , drawing both of the men's attention.

" _Sorry_ ," She gave an apologetic smile and leaned down to grab it, eyes darting to the far side of the table. And behold, Wes was right to be cautious. A metal object was lodged under the table to the man's right and it pulled the air right out of her lungs. It wasn't the fact that he owned a gun, but the fact that he had it so close as if he was ready to kill even though the people he would be shooting were unarmed. She felt as if that moment lasted forever, and hastily grabbed at her phone with clammy hands, almost springing back up.

"Is it cracked?" The man across the table asked, gazing at her intently.

It almost went in one ear and out the other in her current state of mind, but she caught the last word and shook her head,"No, it's fine."

"Well, that's good. Anyway, let's continue Wes.." They began to speak once more, Wes' eyes left her as she took a heavy breath and gently set her phone face down on the oak table. _There_. She did it. Now all she had to do was sit through this meeting with the knowledge that this man could kill her at any minute. _Great_.

At some point, the conversation escalated and Wes began to make dangerous remarks- and it was clearly getting on this Lucero guy's nerves. "Wes, we already went over that the stocks aren't great right now but-"

"Do you just want me to invest without there being any real potential for economical development?" Wes paused, an intent look on his sharp features,"I have to ask myself every time 'why am I investing in this and how will it profit me?' but currently I can't answer that question with anything solid right now."

"I showed you the numbers, Wes, they aren't _bad_. You're exaggerating."

"On the contrary, I don't think I am- I'm looking at these numbers and I'm seeing a decrease in sales from last year and even the past _five_ years-"

"-that's only _temporary_! Our new idea will make our sales _skyrocket_ , I-"

"-Maybe this would've worked out better if you had made your sales _skyrocket_ before calling me to meet you here and waste my time. Your proposal just isn't gonna do it, Lucero. Give it up, I'm leaving." With that, Wes stood and closed his briefcase with a small click before glancing to her,"Let's go."

She nodded, gently pushing out the heavy chair and standing to follow him toward the door. "I don't think so." She heard a _click_ across the room and turned to see Lucero with gun in hand, pointing it straight at Wes.

"What do you think you're doing, old man?" Wes was still arrogant as ever, almost making Rin kick him in the shin. For _Christ's sake_ , he had a gun pointing at him and he was _still_ being rude?

"You're not leaving here without investing in my company."

"That's not happening."

She flung her head to the side to flash him a glare, whispering furiously,"Damn it, Wes, just do the deal so he doesn't shoot you."  

"You should listen to your lady there or else I'm afraid you'll be leaving here in a garbage bag."

"You're this rich and you don't at least have a body bag?"

"We do but scum like you isn't worthy of that kind of luxury." And with that, he _fired_.

Rin let out a startled squeal, tumbling backward as Wes' chest made impact with the bullet. She covered her mouth in horror, trying to control her sounds as she watched Wes fall backward into the bodyguards, his lean frame colliding with the wall despite the men's best attempts. Rin couldn't help the hot tears that began to roll down her red cheeks, and she began to crawl towards Wes who had been rolled over to his side by the men. 

"W- _Wes_..?" She reached him, trying to organize her distraught thoughts. She was a doctor, she could _save_ him. She brought her two fingers to the side of his neck to feel for a pulse, and in finding one she breathed out a sigh of relief. Rin tried to turn him over and with the two men's help he rolled over halfway onto her lap and she began to quickly unbutton his suit jacket. Her eyes scoured his face for a sign of him waking up but when there wasn't one she turned her attention back to getting access to the wound. She found it odd that the blood hadn't spread to stain his actual suit by now since it had only hit the dress shirt underneath it but maybe it hadn't gone as deep as she thought.

Once she got the suit out of the way, she began to take off the white dress shirt but found it a little weird. Whenever she brushed up against his chest through the shirt it didn't feel like soft like skin- it was rough and rugged. When she began to get agitated with the second button, she just gripped his collar with both her hands and yanked it apart, exposing a black bulletproof vest, a bullet lodged in it. And it had pierced directly through a packet of.. _ketchup_. 

Wes lifted his head, a grin on his face as he rolled away from her,"You passed."

Maybe it was the fact that this had all been a charade- or was it the fact that he faked getting shot with a bullet? Rin didn't really know, she just knew that she was _really_ angry. "Are you fucking _kidding_ me?"

"Wes let out a loud laugh, finishing taking off his suit jacket and dress shirt, tossing the latter onto the ground. He handed the unharmed jacket to one of his men as he stood up and dusted off his pants,"You should be _happy_ , about 75% of to-be's fail that test. Maybe even be jumping for joy."

"This was all a test?"

"Yup. To see what you would do. Half of participants _flee_ and the other half _beg_. In a real situation we would never just give away our weapons and my men would take care of whoever shot me while you would make sure I didn't bleed out."

"So none of this.." She wiped under her eyes, letting out a loud huff as she stood up,"None of this was the real thing? Is this some joke to you?" She brought her eyes up to meet his with a glare,"I thought you have been shot."

"That's the point." He was so arrogant. Even if he did have it all, the looks, the money, and the status, it didn't matter because his personality trashed it all.

She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her and she turned, almost falling over once more at the sight of the large man. She had to remind herself that he didn't actually shoot Wes and that this guy probably wasn't a bad guy.

 "Sorry to scare you like that Missy, it's a precaution we have to take." She had thought his name was 'Lucero' but now she just didn't know, and she gave a distrustful frown.

"Why is that?"

"Well, 'cause if we don't, what happens when Wes _does_ get shot and his only doc runs off?"

She scrunched her eyebrows up, they were preparing just in case Wes got shot? Weren't they _careful_ enough that that wasn't even a risk? "Has it happened before that for some reason this has become a _test?_ "

Wes spoke up now, voice no longer joking," _Actually_ , it has. And because it happened, it's _exactly_ why this is a test." He began to unstrap the vest from himself, revealing a toned abdomen and a sculpted body that had her swallowing her spit so she didn't _drool_. She dragged her eyes away from him and cast her eyes to the far side of the room as he turned and left, presumably to clean the ketchup off his left bicep and chest. How did she know it was his _left_ one? Definitely not because she was admiring him but because she was trying to tell if it was actually ketchup, of course.

"Well, I should probably introduce myself," The plump man spoke up and she lifted her gaze to show him attention,"My name is Charlie Lucero, I own a few of the companies Wes has invested in."

She gave a low laugh,"That's _ironic_ considering your conversation."

"Yeah, it is. But in reality, Wes and I are old friends and I would do nothing to harm him. So don't hold a grudge too long Miss, he's only trying to make sure you'd know what to do in that kind of situation."

Her anger was quickly ebbing as she began to see it from his perspective, and she shrugged,"We'll see."

"Alright well, Harold prepared the car downstairs for whenever you're ready to leave."

She nodded, muttering a quick thanks before turning and leaving that room- never to return again. She didn't like that place at all, not the vibes or how pretty it was. It was too pretty. Almost like how Wes was too pretty. She went downstairs and went to the car, shutting the car door behind her. She let out a heavy sigh and quickly combed her fingers through her hair to regain her composure. All she had to do now was wait for the king.


	6. To be on edge

The drive back to the hotel was quiet, way too quiet for her liking. Pursing her cherry red lips, she cast a quick glance towards Wes to gauge the situation. He was leaned against the window, head tilted against the glass with a few of his dark curls brushing the clear surface. He hadn't moved since he got in the car, and now it seemed like he had fallen asleep, lashes gently shut and casting a small shadow on his cheeks. He looked so perfect, so calm and at ease when he slept as if he didn't have so many people's lives in the palms of his hands. Could a gang boss really be so vulnerable-looking? 

But to say that she wasn't angry with the sleeping man was an understatement. She often got carried away in his looks, which was reasonable considering, well, his looks, but that didn't mean that everything he did was completely forgiven. Rin could understand why such a test existed but shouldn't he have let her get more accustomed to everything before pulling something like that so suddenly?

Like Boyce had said, she had only been in the organization for a day and a half- it was insane to think she was already doing stuff out in the field.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me so intensely?" A groggy voice muttered, Wes stirring and turned his head to look at her with drowsy brown eyes. A rose hue flushed over her cheeks as she realized she had been practically glaring at him,"O-oh! Sorry, I was thinking and ended up staring at you because I just.. was thinking and doesn't everybody just do that sometimes?" Oh geez, now she was speaking in circles.

A small grin spread across his lips as he struggled to sit up, tight white dress shirt annoyingly advertising just how fit he was as he moved. "Y'know, I'm not really sure.. I'd have to take a vote when we get back to the hotel."

She let out a snort, now composed and unflustered,"I feel like you'd get an overwhelming amount of participants.."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Of course I'm being sarcastic, nobody takes polls now unless they're online."

He rolled his eyes, running a quick hand through his sleep-tousled hair,"You never answered my question on the way here."

"Which was?"

"Why aren't you freaking out? You've been kidnapped by a gang and yet you're sittin' here in this car with me, completely civilized and even passed up the chance to strangle me 't death in my sleep."

She let out a loud laugh, perhaps spooking the driver and his buddy because they both jumped a little in their seats,"Okay, well for starters I'm not a murderer. As for why I'm not freaking out... well, I don't really know. My job at the clinic was kind of going downhill and I just got an eviction notice from my apartment, so this is kind of an escape in a way I guess? I have food, water, shelter, and a paying job and a bunch of buff guys protecting me so it's not all that bad."

"And you also have your great boss, who is providing all of that."

She chuckled, conceding to him and his childishness,"And I have my great boss, who is providing all of that."

"Damn right you do."

 

* * *

 

When they got back to the hotel she was ushered inside rather quickly by one of the men that had traveled with them, the other one hanging back to speak with Wes. They had been speaking in quiet hushed voices towards the end of the ride and Wes had gone silent to text on his phone, presumably with Boyce or one of his men. She shuffled about, unsure where the other two were, confused eyes darting towards the doors as they began to shut. Her hazel orbs drifted to gaze out between the closing metal, spotting Wes hurry in a direction that was certainly not towards the elevator, his bodyguard in tow.

She didn't know what to think, especially when she reached her floor and was practically run over by Boyce when she stepped out of the lift,"What is going on, Boyce?" He hastily pressed what she assumed was the lobby button,"No time to explain, just stay inside the penthouse and don't come down." 

Rin only lightly nodded, chewing on her bottom lip as she turned and walked down the hallway, entering the penthouse after passing a few doors. She ended up flopping down on the large sofa, finding out quickly that it was as comfortable as it looked, turning onto her back to glare at the nude vaulted ceiling. Her mind was a jumbled mess of worry and confusion, the car ride home had even been light and happy after everything settled down. Why was there so much action in one day?

She ended up rolling onto her side, phone in hand as she waited for a text. The minutes weathered on and she found herself playing on a few of the apps she had been allowed to download. It didn't do much to entertain her but an hour or two did pass and she began to really question if she should go downstairs. Lifting her head to throw a glance over her shoulder, her idea was quickly shot down at the sight of a small group of burly men clustered around the entrance. They were talking in low voices, clearly tense but the occasional chuckle would leave the group, leaving her to set her head back down against the couch sullenly.

Her eyelids began to droop as she stared at the bright screen, waiting for just the slightest _ding_ to go off signaling a message. But that sound never came, the one sound that would've snapped her out of her drowsiness, and instead she just drifted off. Her small body lay on the couch, huddled away from the door and dainty hands wrapped around a soft lilac cushion.

When the girl awoke next it was because she felt herself being lifted into the air, strong arms tucked under her back and legs and her head resting against a solid chest. Her dark lashes fluttered open as she drearily gazed up at the mystery man carrying her, prompting a stir in her tired voice,"What're.. what're you doing?"

A low, yet familiar voice answered her back,"Taking you to bed, of course."

"What happened?"

"Just some crazies causin' trouble, nothin' to worry about.." She was set down in soft sheets that enveloped her, and her shoes were gently removed and dropped to the floor with a muted thump. There was a rustle as the covers were pulled up to enclose her in their warmth, only aiding to her gradual slip back into sleep, her mind at ease.

 

* * *

 

 Daylight brought her to open her eyes once more, but when she did she didn't recognize her surroundings. Didn't she fall asleep out on the couch? She was confused for a moment, trying to remember last night. She could recall somebody had carried her back to her room but the details on what happened downstairs were still fuzzy.

Rin threw off her covers, pulling her hair loose from her ponytail and trudging towards the door in last night's clothes. But she stopped short of leaving it, loud voices from the room to the left of her's attracting her attention. She hurried over and pressed her ear gingerly against the vanilla drywall, quieting her breathing in order to hear properly.

"Wes, do you realize how stupid that was?"

"Shut up, I don't need you telling me that."

"No, of all people, I expected you to be smarter. Going out like that yesterday with only two men and an unarmed girl was a dumb decision and I shouldn't have just let you leave like that. We now have the fucking Pintos on our asses, acting like they own the place- we're pinned, Wes. They saw a chance once you left and now they're ready to nail us if anyone steps foot outside. For Chist's Sake, they almost shot you when you tried to check outside the hotel last night."

"Look, don't automatically blame all this shit on me just because I went to do some errands. The Pintos don't know 't keep themselves in check but they'll learn their fuckin' lesson real quick I shoot their asses up tonight. Now back the fuck off Boyce before I beat your ass too."

"All due respect Wes, but acting tonight would land us in even deeper shit. At least wait one day, please, let's just take a step back to devise a plan. We can contact Declan-"

"Declan won't fuckin' know about this 'til we meet him in Vegas, alright? I don't need to give him a reason to think we need his help because we can't handle ourselves."

"You know that Declan likes you the most out of all the underbosses, right? I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem helping, Wes."

"Right, he likes me the most and I want it to stay that way. Do you know what Declan does? He puts the strong on a pedestal and lets the weak hit the curb and fend for themselves. The reason we've got it so good here is because Declan sees us as one of the strongest. We can't let that drop, okay Boyce? I'm not going back to how it was before. Our men need me to be strong. They need _us_ to be strong. That means handling this ourselves.. Now go wake up Rin and have her eat something."

From the sound of it, it had sounded like Wes and Boyce were arguing in the room next to hers, which was like an office of sorts, but now steps were leaving the room and coming towards her door. She spun and sprinted towards her bed, springing forward to roll herself in the plush covers just as the door opened. 

"Rin, you awake?" She popped her head up, attempting to appear groggy,"Yeah, why?"

He took one look at her and sighed, rubbing his forehead with a tense hand as he shut the door behind him. He came over to sit on the corner of her bed, scoffing,"I know you heard all that so don't even try to pretend."

She frowned, guess there was no use hiding it. Pulling the light brown strands away from her face as she sat up, she gazed at Boyce with worried eyes,"Why is Wes being like that? Can't he just listen to reason and contact this Declan guy?" She brought her feet under her, crossing her legs to get into a more comfortable position.

"Well, it's partly my fault. I'm supposed to advise him better, especially in situations like this. Declan is kind of like a dictator when it comes to controlling all of NELO and because of what happened last night Wes is really stressed out."

"What _did_ happen last night? I was never really filled in on the details."

Boyce gives her a hesitant glance,"I don't think Wes really wants to worry you, but you may have patients in the infirmary sooner than expected."

An alarmed expression reaches her face and she tilts her head,"What do you mean?"

"Currently a gang called 'The Pintos' has surrounded us and has all exits marked by a sniper. They're aren't afraid to shoot to kill so we can't do anything right now. I'm trying to get Wes to lay off for a day, just so we can take a step back and consider our options. We have no idea what they want and I'm really hoping they don't do something stupid that makes Wes angry."

She nods slowly as he speaks, assessing the situation,"So we're just gonna stay holed up in here for a few days until it blows over? I'm fine with that. But can't we just call in an anonymous tip to the cops and get them arrested?"

Boyce only laughs, standing up and heading to the door,"That's probably not the best idea- especially if we want to completely ruin everything we have going for us. Anyway, there's breakfast out here so make sure you come and eat."

Stumbling off her bed after he leaves, she begins to strip herself of the clothes from the night before. Once she's done she gets on some comfortable shorts and a t-shirt. Checking herself out in the mirror, she huffs as she fixes her hair. Now time to figure out how she's going to manage for the next 24 hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof i feel so bad for not posting for so long but here it is now  
> i want you guys to know that i haven't given up on this and i'm so thankful for the kudos- they really encourage me to continue writing when i'm unsure of myself  
> i hope you enjoyed this chapter, more to come later <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! This is also posted on my Wattpad account under the name 'polar0bear'.


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